Need to send your iPhone calls to another number? Start in Settings. On supported carriers, go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding, turn it on, tap Forward To, then enter the number. If Call Forwarding is missing, your carrier, line type, plan, or Dual SIM setup is probably the reason.

This guide shows the fast path first, then the carrier-code fixes for when iPhone settings get weird. Because they do.

Quick answer: how to forward calls on iPhone

The fastest way to forward calls on iPhone is through the Phone settings, if your carrier supports it.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap Phone.
4. Tap Call Forwarding.
5. Turn on Call Forwarding.
6. Tap Forward To.
7. Enter the phone number that should receive your calls.
8. Go back one screen to save it.

On older iOS versions, the path may be Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding instead. Apple changes menus. Carriers make it harder. Nice little team effort.

Before you start: what iPhone call forwarding can and cannot do

Call forwarding on iPhone is a carrier feature. Your iPhone gives you the switch, but your carrier handles the actual call routing.

That matters because some options only appear when your carrier and network support them. Apple Support says GSM users can set up call forwarding in iPhone Settings, while CDMA users may need to contact the carrier. Apple also says Dual SIM users choose a line first, and the iPhone must be in cellular range when setting forwarding.

Here is the plain version:

• Call forwarding sends phone calls to another number.
• It does not forward SMS or iMessage.
• It may not appear on every iPhone plan.
• It may need cellular service to set up.
• Conditional forwarding depends on your carrier.

If you need calls and texts to show up on another Apple device, look at Apple's Continuity features instead. Call forwarding is only for carrier phone calls.

How to forward calls on iPhone from Settings

Use Settings first. It is the cleanest method when the option exists.

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap Phone.
4. Tap Call Forwarding.
5. If you use Dual SIM, choose the line you want to forward.
6. Turn on Call Forwarding.
7. Tap Forward To.
8. Type the destination number.
9. Go back and wait a few seconds for the carrier to save the setting.

Use the full phone number, including country code if you are forwarding across countries. For example, a US number should usually include +1 before the area code.

If the toggle spins, fails, or disappears, move to carrier codes. The Settings screen is not the final authority. The carrier is.

How to turn off call forwarding on iPhone

To turn off call forwarding on iPhone, go back to the same setting and switch it off.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding.
3. Choose the right line if you use Dual SIM.
4. Turn off Call Forwarding.
5. Test from another phone.

Turn it off after travel, repairs, vacations, and temporary work coverage. This is one of those settings people forget for 3 weeks, then wonder why no one can reach them.

If Settings is missing, use your carrier's deactivation code or carrier app.

How to forward calls on iPhone with carrier codes

Carrier codes are useful when the iPhone setting is missing or fails. They also work for many landline-style carrier features that never got a pretty iOS screen.

Common US examples:

These codes are examples, not universal law. Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, MVNOs, business plans, prepaid plans, and regional carriers can handle codes differently.

If *72 does not work, do not keep hammering random codes. Check your carrier support page or open the carrier app. For example, use Verizon's call forwarding FAQ for Verizon lines or AT&T's wireless call forwarding guide for AT&T lines. Phone routing is not a great place to freestyle.

Always forward vs conditional call forwarding

Always-forwarding sends every incoming call to another number. Conditional call forwarding sends calls only in certain cases, such as when your iPhone is busy, unanswered, or unreachable.

The catch: conditional call forwarding is more carrier-dependent than always-forwarding. Some carriers let you set it with codes. Some hide it in the carrier app. Some make you call support.

If you need conditional rules for a business line, a VoIP phone system or Google Voice-style setup may be cleaner than fighting carrier codes.

Why Call Forwarding is missing on iPhone

If Call Forwarding is missing on your iPhone, it usually means iOS cannot expose the feature for your current line. The phone is not broken.

Check these first:

• Carrier support: Some carriers do not expose the iPhone Call Forwarding menu.
• GSM vs CDMA: Apple notes that GSM users can use Settings, while CDMA users may need carrier support.
• Plan limits: Some prepaid, business, or low-cost plans restrict forwarding.
• Dual SIM mismatch: You may be checking the wrong line.
• No cellular range: Apple says your iPhone must be in range of the cellular network when setting call forwarding.
• Carrier profile issue: A carrier settings update or restart can fix strange behavior.

Try this repair path:

1. Turn off Airplane Mode.
2. Confirm cellular service is active.
3. Restart your iPhone.
4. Check Settings > General > About for carrier settings prompts.
5. Try the carrier app or carrier code.
6. Contact the carrier and ask if call forwarding is active on your plan.

Do not erase your iPhone for this. Call forwarding is almost always a carrier/account issue, not a device-reset issue.

Does call forwarding on iPhone forward texts?

No. iPhone call forwarding does not forward SMS or iMessage.

If someone calls your iPhone number, the call can route to another phone number. If someone sends a text, it stays tied to your messaging setup.

For Apple-to-Apple messaging, you can use features like Messages in iCloud, Text Message Forwarding, or Continuity depending on your devices and Apple Account. That is separate from call forwarding.

This distinction matters if you are forwarding a work number while traveling. Calls may reach your backup phone. Text-based 2FA codes, customer texts, and iMessages may not.

Costs and limits to check before forwarding calls

Do not assume call forwarding is free. Many plans include it, but billing depends on your carrier, destination number, country, and plan.

Check these before forwarding important calls:

• Whether call forwarding is included in your plan.
• Whether forwarded calls count as outgoing minutes.
• Whether international forwarding is allowed.
• Whether the destination number creates long-distance charges.
• Whether business lines have admin restrictions.

Avoid exact price guesses from random blog posts. Carrier pricing changes, and old numbers age badly. Your carrier account page is the source that matters.

Alternatives when standard iPhone call forwarding is not enough

If you need more than basic call forwarding, use a tool built for routing calls. Do not try to make the iPhone setting do business-phone work.

Good alternatives:

• Google Voice: useful if you want one number to ring multiple devices.
• VoIP business phone systems: better for teams, schedules, call queues, and shared coverage.
• Carrier apps: useful when your carrier supports extra forwarding rules.
• Dual SIM: good for keeping personal and work numbers on one iPhone.
• Apple Continuity: useful for answering iPhone calls on a Mac, iPad, or another Apple device on the same Apple Account.

Softorino does not make a call-forwarding app. No need to pretend otherwise. For this problem, the right fix is Apple's setting, your carrier, or a proper phone service.

Troubleshooting checklist for iPhone call forwarding

Use this checklist when forwarding fails, calls go to voicemail, or the destination phone never rings.

• Confirm the forwarding number is typed correctly.

• Add the country code for international or cross-border forwarding.

• Test from a different phone, not the same iPhone.

• Check that your iPhone has cellular service while setting it up.

• Restart the iPhone after changing carrier settings.

• Try the carrier code if the Settings toggle fails.

• Check your carrier app for line-level restrictions.

• Ask your carrier whether your plan supports call forwarding.

If calls go straight to voicemail, you may have conditional forwarding set wrong. Ask the carrier to check busy, unanswered, and unreachable forwarding rules on the line.

When call forwarding makes sense

Use iPhone call forwarding when you need a temporary call backup. It is not glamorous, but it works when the carrier supports it.

Common use cases:

• Phone repair: send calls to a temporary phone while your iPhone is away.
• Business travel: forward work calls to a local or backup number.
• Vacation coverage: send calls to a teammate while you are off.
• Bad reception: route calls to a landline or VoIP number in a better location.
• Device switching: keep one public number while using another phone for a few days.

For anything more complex, use a business phone system. Call forwarding is a switch, not a call center.

FAQs

Final check

To forward calls on iPhone, start with Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding. If the setting is missing, use your carrier app or carrier code. If you need conditional rules, ask your carrier or use a phone service that was built for routing.

And test it. One quick call from another phone beats 10 minutes of guessing.